1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to exercise apparatuses, and more particularly to a grip sleeve for a golf club shaft.
2. Description of the Related Art
A regular golf club includes a grip sleeve fitted to a shaft thereof The grip sleeve, which is typically made of rubber, not only is adapted to be a gripping portion of the golf club, but also absorbs counterforce by virtue of the rubber while hitting balls.
Some manufacturers of golf clubs make a grip strap wound around the grip sleeve. The grip strap is substantially made of leather or foam plastic or rubber or compound of the above three materials such that the golf club is provided with preferable gripping and shock-absorption effects and looks preferable in profile.
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional grip sleeve 10 is formed of a sleeve body 11, an annular stopper 12, and a sleeve cap 13. The sleeve body 11 has a smaller outer diameter respectively than that of the stopper 12 and that of the sleeve cap 13 so as to relatively form a recessed section adapted to be wound around with a grip strap between the stopper 12 and the sleeve cap 13. The grip strap includes an initial end and a distal end. While the grip strap is wound around the grip sleeve 10, the initial end of the grip strap is pressed against the recessed section of the sleeve body 11 and in proximity of the sleeve cap 13 at a bottom side thereof before the grip strap is spirally wound around the recessed section of the sleeve body 11 toward the stopper 12 until the distal end thereof approaches the stopper 12. However, the distal end of the grip strap fails to be retained so as to be turnup by hand""s holding. After a period of time, the grip strap will be gradually disengaged from the grip sleeve 10 from the distal end thereof.
Referring to FIG. 2, another conventional grip sleeve 20 is formed of a sleeve body 21 and an annular skirt member 22 extending integrally outwards from an opening of the sleeve body 21. The skirt member 22 can be turned back to cover an external surface of the sleeve body 21, as shown in FIG. 3. Accordingly, while a grip strap is wound around the grip sleeve 20, the skirt member 22 will be turned back to cover a distal end of the grip strap so as to prevent the distal end from exposed outside and to improve the aforementioned drawback of the aforesaid prior art.
However, because the sleeve body 21 is provided with a deficient thickness at the opening thereof, while the grip sleeve 20 is fitted to a golf club shaft, the opening of the sleeve body 21 fails to hold the shaft tight, and thereby the grip sleeve 20 is subject to slip away or disengage from the shaft.
Referring to FIG. 4, still another conventional grip sleeve 30 is formed of a sleeve body 31, an annular stopper 32, and a sleeve cap 33. The sleeve body 31 is provided with a smaller outer diameter respectively than that of the stopper 32 and that of the sleeve cap 33 so as to relatively form a recessed section adapted to be wound around with a grip strap between the stopper 32 and the sleeve cap 33. The stopper 32 is provided with an annular receiving gap 321 for receiving a distal end of the grip strap so as to prevent the distal end from turnup.
Because the receiving gap 321 is so narrow that it""s difficult to put the distal end of the grip strap thereinto, it""s very inconvenient for a user to widen the gap 321 sweatily to put the distal end of the grip strap into the gap 321. In addition, the gap 321 is so shallow that the distal end of the grip strap fails to be completely received therein, thereby preventing the distal end from turnup ineffectively.
The primary objective of the present invention is to provide an improved golf club grip sleeve, which preferably covers a distal end of a grip strap wound around the grip sleeve and prevents the distal end of the grip strap from turnup.
The secondary objective of the present invention is to provide an improved golf club grip sleeve, which holds a golf club shaft tight that fitted thereinto.
The foregoing objectives of the present invention are attained by the improved golf club grip sleeve, which is formed of a sleeve member and an annular skirt member. The sleeve member is composed of a sleeve body and an annular stopper. The sleeve body is provided with an opening at an end thereof. The stopper is located at an external periphery of the sleeve body and is extended for a predetermined length from an end beside the opening of the sleeve body towards the other end of the sleeve body. The skirt member is integrally extended outwards from the end beside the opening of the sleeve body and is longer than the stopper so as to be turned back to cover the stopper.